Retreats

Retreats offer faculty an opportunity to set aside time for their writing, and write in the company of others in a comfortable, relaxed space. Academic year retreats in August, October, and January focus on dedicated writing time.

The summer scholarly writing retreat offered each June provides an immersive experience and includes time for writing, workshops on writing and project planning, and opportunities for feedback on works-in-progress. In workshops, writers learn powerful practices that can help them to incorporate their role as a writer among their many commitments.

Learn more about faculty experiences in the summer retreat in the Duke News article: At summer retreat, faculty brush up on their writing. Summer Retreat Facilitators: Monique Dufour (History, Virginia Tech) and Jennifer Ahern-Dodson (Writing Studies, Duke). Dates for the 2018 retreat will be announced in January.

What participants have to say: “Taking time as a community to focus on writing projects is energizing and powerful.”

“I have never run into such a fresh perspective about the hurdles of writing. I appreciate your approach because it emphasizes the process rather than the product, it looks at the nuts and bolts, all the phases, shortcomings, and how to overcome them. What is truly impressive is that all the suggestions are practical, doable, and very common sense.”

“I loved this workshop. It was tremendously helpful in getting me unstuck, in helping me to find (and validate!) a voice, and in soothing my soul.”